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Grade Appeals Policy

All students in philosophy classes
have the right to questions assigned grades in the department. Students should
carefully examine their own work and other related factors of performance, such
as class attendance, before pursing an appeal. However, if student believe
assigned grades are the result of an instructor error, discrimination, or other
unfair practices, they should most certainly question the basis upon which the
grades were awarded. If such an appeal is made, the philosophy department will
proceed in the following steps. Note
well that STEPS 1 and 2 must be initiated by the student within thirty calendar
days after official final grades are posted, usually the Monday following
finals week. If the student is appealing a grade assigned
by the chair of the department, then the tasks assigned to the chair in each of
the following steps will be assumed by the Dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences.

STEP 1. The student should meet
with the course instructor and request an explanation of the basis for the
grade. If this explanation is unsatisfactory to the student for any reason, the
student should proceed to step two if the course instructor is not the chair of
the department or to step six if the course instructor is the chair.

STEP 2. The student should contact the chair of the
department and explain the questions and issues concerning the course
instructor’s assigned grade. The student
should explain any and all information relevant to the questions at hand. The chair will then discuss the matter with
the instructor. The desired outcome of
this stage of the process is agreement between student and instructor. The chair will not decide upon an appropriate
grade at this point. If these
discussions with the student and instructor do not produce a resolution
satisfactory to the student, the student has the option of continuing the
appeal process with step three.

STEP 3. The student will prepare a formal, written
complaint concerning the assignment of a grade, addressing the complaint to the
chair of the department. The chair will
proceed with step four.

STEP 4. The chair of the department will constitute
a Philosophy Department Appeals Committee and refer the student’s formal appeal
to the committee. This committee will
consist of three faculty members, including as many as possible from within the
philosophy department. The committee
will not include either the chair of the department or the instructor in
question. The Philosophy Department
Appeals Committee will make a recommendation to the chair.

STEP 5. The chair of the department will decide to
accept or reject the recommendation of the Philosophy Department Appeals
Committee and will communicate his or her decision in writing to the student
within one week of receiving the committee’s recommendation. If the student is not satisfied with the
chair’s decision, the student has the option of continuing the appeal process
with step six.

STEP 6. The student may appeal the assigned grade to
the Provost. This appeal will be
conducted according to the procedures the Provost has established. The
department chair will notify the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in
writing that the student is appealing the decision to the Provost.